Brethren Christian signs potentially 35-year lease

The Huntington Beach City School district has signed a new lease with a Christian school on a closed school site that led to controversy last year when the district canceled its old lease.

Brethren Christian Junior and Senior High School has signed a lease that could last up to 35 years with renewals, according to a news release from the school, which rents out the former Gisler Elementary campus at 21141 Strathmoor Lane.

“This is a very exciting time for Brethren Christian,” the school’s principal, Rick Niswonger, said in a statement. “We have long sought a lease that would give us site security, allowing us to build and plan for the future of this wonderful school.”

Last summer, the school had its lease canceled as the district sought out new offers for lease or purchase of its four closed school sites, but some community members cried foul. Several school board meetings saw packed rooms full of members protesting the uncertain status of the schools, along with feared loss of open space at closed school sites.

Following an earlier lease signed with Huntington Christian School on the former Burke Elementary school site, the new development means that both leases canceled last year have now been renegotiated.

— Michael Alexander